OAKLAND, Calif.The Boston Celtics know all too well just how dangerous an undermanned team can be.
On most nights, it's a role that they find themselves.
But with the Golden State Warriors down a few bodies following their five-player trade (none of the players involved with the trade had taken their physicals yet and thus, could not play) with Milwaukee on Tuesday, they were out to prove that sometimes desperation can trump depth.
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Golden State put forth a great effort, but the C's managed to squeak out a 105-103 win.
A 21-foot jumper by Kevin Garnett would prove to be the game-winner, with 5.1 seconds to play.
Boston had a strong third quarter, but their strong play gave way to a mini-surge from the Warriors in the fourth, who tied the game at 95 on a free throw by Dorell Wright with 4:21 to play.
Boston countered with baskets from Kevin Garnett and Brandon Bass, only to have former Celtic guard Nate Robinson make it a two-point game, 99-97.
However, a pair of free throws followed by a dunk from Bass seemingly put the C's in firm control of the game with about two minutes to play.
Not with the Celtics. Not this season.
A pair of free throws by David Lee, followed by a driving lay-up by Robinson after turnover number 18 for the C's cut Boston's lead to 103-101 with 1:01 to play.
A Paul Pierce miss gave the Warriors a chance to tie the game or take the lead.
They choose door No. 2, as Robinson strolled into the lane for a game-tying lay-up with 30 seconds to play.
Boston called another time-out, well aware that the game was slipping away from them.
In other words, it was anyone's game for the taking.
The down-to-the-wire finish was indicative of how the first two quarter of the game was played.
Both teams went back and fourth throughout most of the first half which featured 10 lead changes and nine ties before the Warriors closed out the second quarter with the final four points and led, 60-55, at the half.
The Celtics seemed to find their way in the third quarter, and leading the charge ... Greg Stiemsma.
Boston closed out the third with a 9-3 spurt, capped off by a put-back dunk by Stiemsma -- his second dunk of the game, and fourth this season -- to give Boston an 81-77 lead going into the decisive fourth quarter.